Two charged with witness intimidation

The father and one of the accused in a Hornell robbery case have been arrested for threatening the victims of the crimes.

Justin Head

The father and one of the accused in a Hornell robbery case have been arrested for threatening the victims of the crimes.

David A. Cage, 46, and Sharif Q. Cage, 19, of 153 E. Elm St., Hornell, were charged by Hornell police around 6:30 p.m. Thursday at their home with third-degree intimidation of a witness.

According to police, they came in direct contact and threatened at least one of the victims and may be responsible for pressuring other potential witnesses through other people.

“There is a possibility that additional people could be getting arrested for the same thing,” said Hornell police Inv. Tom Aini. “The whole basis of the criminal justice system relies on the ability of witnesses to feel safe testifying.”

Aini said he is aware of more than one witness threatened in some way or another, adding he hopes these arrests will end any witness badgering.

Hornell police charged David C. Cage, 22, Shamir W. Cage, 18, and Sharif Cage, all of 153 E. Elm St., Aug. 13 with first-degree robbery and first-degree burglary in connection to a strong-armed robbery at an apartment at 12 Albion St. in Hornell earlier that morning.

Court depositions allege that they attacked a resident in the home with baseball bats and stole $5,000 in $20 bills from a jewelry box in one of the bedrooms.

As police were getting ready to arrest the individuals, they left the area.

According to Aini, prior surveillance uncovered the suspects were traveling in a Toyota Rav-4. Neighboring police agencies were alerted and Bath police stopped the vehicle, a search uncovered 35 grams of marijuana and $10,000 in cash. In addition to the Cages, deputies charged three others in the vehicle with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Sharif was released on $5,000 cash bail shortly after being remanded to the Steuben County jail last week, his brothers are being held on $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 property bond. He and his father will be arraigned today in Hornell city court.

In another incident in the same time frame, Joshua L. Perkins, 21, of 6708 Pheasant Lane, Bath, and Shamir Cage were charged Aug. 14 with second-degree robbery and fourth-degree grand larceny by police in connection to the theft of wallet at an apartment at 46 N. Main St. in Hornell. Cage allegedly punched a man in the face and forced him to the ground while taking his wallet. Perkins and Cage then fled the scene on foot toward the Thacher Street bridge.